News for the Heart of the Catskills

Just in the past 5 years or so, tire salespersons have tried to sell me 4 snow tires. I’ve always had very good results with just two. When I drove a rear-wheel drive car, I put two snows on the back. And now that I drive a front-wheel drive vehicle, I put two snows on the front.
I always buy really, really good snow tires, and they’ve gotten me out of some pretty sticky situations.
I’ve been told that I might have problems because the car doesn’t have the same “footprint” in the front and back. What does that mean? And is this just a scam to try to sell me two more tires?

Not Snowed In, Monticello

Dear Not Snowed,

Back in the dark ages when I got my first car I was told by several people to always have the same tires on all four corners and when I lived in the Catskills, I always had four snow tires – as much for the car manufacturer’s suggested car care as for the aforementioned advice.

My own experience tells me that the drive wheels sometimes only catch intermittently and having snow tires on the non-drive wheels can only help. My advice is to check with the manufacturer and go with their suggestions. As for the differing footprints, I have never heard of this and, in fact, it sounds completely illogical to me. Of course, I could be wrong, any non salespersons have a comment on this issue?